1fz Timing chain tensioner stuck in the head (1 Viewer)

[Doakster]

As the title indicates, my timing tensioner is stuck in the head and Im looking for suggestions to get it out.

Back story, I just finished replacing the bottom end with a Toyota built bottom end. When I was taking everything apart, I couldn't get the timing chain tensioner out so I just worked around it. As I was putting everything back together, I made an attempt to take it out. Tried hammering it out from the inside, tried taking a chisel and getting it from in-between the head and the base. Used a bunch of pb blaster. Nothing worked so I worked around it again. Well, went on a test run and everything worked except I'm leaking oil from the tensioner now. Seems like I broke the gasket in my attempts to get it out.

Im now at the point where I've taken the studs out and I can get it to spin a little if I take a hammer and metal rod and hit the tensioner where the holes are but nothing else seems to be working. Has anyone experienced something like this or does anyone have suggestions? I haven't tried heat yet but that seems to be my next step.

Cheers,
Pat

 

[Kernal]

I had the same issue last year on a 95 model FZJ80 I picked up. Had to approach it from the inside (valve cover off), Brake cleaner, Penetrating oil, and Throttle Body cleaner (to help dissolve the varnish that was preventing it from coming out) sprayed on the tensioner from both inside and out, hammering it from the inside using a long screwdriver and prying from the outside once I got it out a bit. Then working it in and out a little at a time, turing it left and right, letting it sit, going back at it with more solvents. Eventually it came out.

At one point I considered tapping the center of the tensioner cap to have something to pull on, but it eventually came out with the other methods. Key IMO were the solvents and penetrating oil back to solvents (a lot) to dissolve the varnish along with working it in and out, side to side. I easily spent an hour on that, maybe two??

 

[manofthewoods]

As the title indicates, my timing tensioner is stuck in the head and Im looking for suggestions to get it out.

Back story, I just finished replacing the

I had the same issue last year on a 95 model FZJ80 I picked up. Had to approache it from the inside (valve cover off), Brake cleaner, Penetrating oil, and Throttle Body cleaner (to help dissolve the varnish that was preventing it from coming out) sprayed on the tensioner from both inside and out, hammering it from the inside using a long

I had the same issue last year on a 95 model FZJ80 I picked up. Had to approache it from the inside (valve cover off), Brake cleaner, Penetrating oil, and Throttle Body cleaner (to help dissolve the varnish that was preventing it from coming out) sprayed on the tensioner from both inside and out, hammering it from the inside using a long screwdriver and prying from the outside once I got it out a bit. Then working it in and out a little at a time, turing it left and right, letting it sit, going back at it with more solvents. Eventually it came out.

At one point I considered tapping the center of the tensioner cap to have something to pull on, but it eventually came out with the other methods. Key IMO were the solvents and penetrating oil back to solvents (a lot) to dissolve the varnish along with working it in and out, side to side. I easily spent an hour on that, maybe two??

Sorry to hear that. I'm in the middle of my rebuild (bottom end, etc. the whole shebang). My tensioner came out with a twist and tug.
Most perplexing.
May your fix be easy (guess that ship has sailed) & successful

 

[Kernal]

I had no issues pulling a timing chain tensioner out of a 96 model FZJ80 but that engine had been fed a steady diet of Mobil 1 full synthetic oil it's entire life. The 95 model I picked up last year had terrible maintenance, non-functional PCV system and likely cheapo dino oil changes once a year. It was the varnish/sludge/crust that had built up on the tensioner housing that prevented it from sliding out easily.

 

[Cho choo]

I would suggest a punch and hammer on the back side of the tensioner. In most cases the shock will allow the spring in the tensioner to push it away from block.

 

[Doakster]

I finally got it out but that was probably the second most stupid thing I ever had to do on a Toyota. What I think happened is that its the original part from 25 years ago and it some how expanded over the years. I tried using solvents and pb blaster at first but that didn't work so well. I never got it to move enough to get any leverage on it. I moved to the hammer and punch method but the outside of the tensioner is iron and it fell apart inside the engine. So I went to my last resort, drilling. Drilling the outside wasn't so bad but the rod that pushes on the chain is steel and that was a pain to drill through. The scariest part was trying not to score the bore that the tensioner sits in. After everything I've done I'm starting to miss working on my 22re.